Assig-nor of



April 17, 1928.

j c. B. FOSTER FABRICATED DERRICK CONSTRUCTION Filed July 17. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

C. B. FOSTER FABRICA'I'ED DERRiCK CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 17. 1926 INVEN TOR.

A ril 17, 1926. 6 1,666,413

C. B. FOSTER FABRICA'I'ED DERRICK CONSTRUCTION Filed July 17. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 d 7 L g.

6 2/ w INVENTOR.

' Patented Apr; 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT orries,

CLARENCE B. FOSTER. OI" GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA. ASSIGNOB OF GEE-SIXTH TO FREDERICKL. FEISTHAMEL, ONE-SIXTH TO ARTHUR J. CARR, AND ONE-SIXTH TO THOMAS A. COLLINS, ALL DE LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

rABmeATEn-niinmcK CONSTRUCTION.

Application vfiled July 17,

This invention. relates to an improved type of fabricated derrick construction, and is particularly. directed to the general class of derrick structures i'isually employed as a part otthe eqnipn'ient utilized in the drilling: and operating of oil. gasyand like wells. Derricks otthe general character used in the oilinclustry comprise tour upwardly con verging cornerposts or lees connected to- "nether around the four sides of the derrick at vertically spaced intervals by transverse girls, and b need by intermediate diagonal. niti-vibration or sway braces. 1

I T hen formed of structural steel these derricks are usually fabricated at the factory to be shipped to the field tor erection. Such steel derrieks usually have corner posts or l gs each tormedo'f an single stringoi several sections of pipe or angle-iron placed or i on end in longitudinal alignment and rigidly secured. together attheir abutting ends by joint-plates andlrolts or by other similar means. i 'v in view of thc'heavy expense connected with, the crection. of derricks in the field, certain ctiorts have heretofore been made to n'iwisseinhle certi'iin portions ofsteel derricks at the factory or at field shops it being; the usual practice in such instances to preassemhle'certain oi the parts to form sec tions or panels of heights c'ouwiniei'it tohan-v die. but with the ordinary single leg'typeot construction new in use it is only possible to pin-assemble the parts in panel form for two opposite sides o'li a derrick thus including the four leg; sections in these two panels, leaving only the braces andlgirts of the other two sides of the derrick to be subsequently tilled in during erection of the derrick. i

It has been proposed to modify thisnsnaltype of construction by constructing each corner post or leg of a double string; of angrle ironleg sections sothat each of thefoi r sides ofthe derrick may he preassen'ihled intopanel. form and to erect the derrick with the leg angles of thepanels ot two opposite sides nested within the leg angles of the panels of the other two sides and with the several panels of the adjacent sides ,in breakjoint relationship vertically. 1

In a dcrrickot' such construction, which is shown in the application of Burton Black,

'1926. 7 Serial No. 123,136.

Sela No. 68,208, only two horizontally opposite panels of the entire derrick can he of the samewidth, this heiin duei'o the, taper oi? the derrick, the break-joint relationship of the panels and the internieshing oi the'leg angles.

" To permit a maximum simidardization of pa1'ts,;to n'nnimize error; in pie-assembling and erection, to economize in the space necessaryto store the fabricated parts and pre-as senihled panels at the tactoryor distributing estahlishniei'lts, and for other reasons it is very desirable to provide'a derrick construe tion in which as many as possible of the parts and panels may; he of duplicate 't'orm and size in so Far as the major portion of the '(lQIT'lClC is'concerned it being of course realized that certain special constructions may he necessz-iry at the bottom and top portions of the derrick."

In the drilling of wells the derrick is suloiectcd to very heavy loads and great strains and must for this reason he oi? very. sturdy construction, while a derrick usedfor operatine; a completed wellis not subjected to such severe loads or strains and can thereelsewhere for use in drilliiig another well.

' U lVhile this practice is cheaper than providing new derricks for every well, the dismantling and assembling amounts to an item of great expense.

'dnction, the heavy derrick heinp; assembled It is therefore of great economical importance to so designaderriek that may he of such stren rthas to be first'used as a drilling derrick and can subseqnentlvhe converted, at a minimum of expense mm a pumping derrick; Without excessive dismantling of parts andso that such'partsar'e fully availahle'for replacementto quickly andleasily reconvert the derrick hack to a drillin g derrick or may he completely salvagedifor use in the building of another drilling; derricld In the fulfilment of the aheve mentioned desirable characteristics the major objects of the presentlnvention are: to Jprovlde a clerrick construction of the pro-assembled panel type in which the panels are arranged in tiers or stories with all of the panels of each tier horizontally aligned and of duplicate form and size; to provide a derrick legs to which they are separately connected;

to connect the leg members to the panels in breakjoint relationship in a mannerpermitting their replacement by individual jointplates to convert the drilling derrick to a pumping derrick; to provide a derrick of the above type in which the corner legs each comprise a series of vertically aligned leg members joined to the adjacent panels by bolts so arranged that as said leg members are removed joint-plates may immediately be substituted and secured at the joints between the tiers by bolts engaging in the same bolt holes in the panels as previously accommodated the leg member bolts; and to provide a construction in which the several corner leg members directly contact the vertical marginal side members of the panels throughout their entire lengths Various other objects and advantages will be more fully apparent from the following description of the accompanying drawings which form a part of this disclosure, and which illustrate a preferred form of embodiment of the invention.

Of the drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation of a drilling derrick constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan section, partly broken, taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a corner of the derrick viewed as indicated by the arrow 3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a partial vertical sectiontaken on line 4tl of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view similar to r shown in Fig. (inf the drawings, each panel Fig. 3, showing the substitution of the jointplates for the corner leg members when the construction is converted'to constitute a pumping derrick.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of one of the preassembled panel sections. a

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan section illustrating a modified form of construction.

Fig. 8 is 'a fragmentary perspective view of the construction shown in Fig. .8, and viewed as indicated by the arrow 8 therein.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan section illustrating another modified form of construction, and

Fig. 10 is an elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 9,.viewed as indicated by the arrow 10 in Fig. 9. I

The derrick illustratedin the drawingsis shown as being made of structural steel shapes, but it is to be understood that the present invention in its broad aspect is not to be restricted to any particular material, the specific embodiment disclosed being primarily intended for the purpose of illustrating a practical application of the principles of construction involved.

As shown, each of the four sides of the derrick is formed of a plurality of panel sections secured together in vertical align ment. with the several panel sections of suitable dimensions to produce a completed derrick gradually tapering upwardly to the derrick top upon which will be mounted the usual crown block.

The respective panels of each side of the derrick may be exact duplicates of those of the other three sides both as to construction and size and in the erection of the derrick the panels are arranged. in tiers or stories one upon the other with the four panels of each tier horizontally aligned, thus permitting all four panels of each tier being of the same relative size so that they may be interchangeable as well as readily adaptable for standardization.

With this construction each tier is finished to a horizontal level thus eliminating the necessity of providing two short panels at the bottom and top of the derrick as is re quired in a panel derrick in which the panels ofadjacent sides are arranged in breakjoint relationship.

While the several panels of the derrick are herein described as being of duplicate character, this has more particular reference to the major portion of the derrick for it will be evident to those skilled in the oil iiidustry that the lower panels will necessarily be somewhat modified to accommodate the walking-beam, draw-works and other portions of the drilling or pumping equipment and also that suitable provisions will be made for the derrick ladder, platform,

*ater-t'able, crown-block, etc.

The several panels are of the construction and 12 are arranged with their respective flanges 11 and 12 disposed towards each other in the plane of the panel and with their respective adjacent flanges 11 and 12" extended outwardly, and the respective lower and upper transverse marginal girts 18 and 14 are arranged with their respective vertical flanges disposed towards each other in the plane of the panel and with their re-' spective horizontal flanges extended inwardly. All of the guts and braces are preterably of angle form and are swaged at opposite ends to bring bot-h flanges thereof to parallel contact to provide securing ends of double thickness. and said ends and the flanges 1 and 12 of the marginal side leg angles 11 and 12 are punched or bored to receive securing bolts or rivets. In the drawings, the ends of the several girls and braces are shown as engaging the inner surfaces of the flanges ll and 12 of the mar ginal side members 11 and 1.2,but it will be evident that they may be connectedto said the marginal side members 11 and 12 and the transverse marginal angle girls '13 and 14, any suitable typeot' interi'nediate bracing sufficient to maintain the panel against distortion may be employed.

lVhile it is obvious that the several parts oi the panel may be secured together by bolts 1 have shown. such parts secured together by rivets as this is preferable in instances where the panel is pro-assembled in the factory or in a field shop. These several rivets are designated by reference characters consisting of a sullix added to the numerals designating the respective parts they secure to the side angles 11 and 12, thus the rivets 13 secure the lower transverse marginal girt 13 to the lower ends of the .u'iarginal side angles 11 and 12. therivets 145* secure the upper transverse marginal girt 14: to the upper ends ofthe marginal side angles 11 and 12. whilethe rivets 15, l6. 17% 18 and 19 secure the intermediate girl: 15 and the respective sway braces to said marginal side angles. To receive the bolts utilized in erecting thelderrick, the 'tlangesll" and 12 of therespective marginal. side angles 11 and 12 are provided with suitably spaced bolt holes, two of which are shown at 22 in Fig. 5, and the horizontal flanges of the respective lower and upper transverse marginal girts 18 and Mare provided with suitably spaced, bolt holes as indicated at 13 'and 14 in Fig. 6.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2. it will be evident from the above that there is provided a plurality of preassembled panel sec tions each of which is a complete unit including the two opposite marginal side angles Hand 12 and the two transverse marginal girtsl3 and 14;, associated with'suitable intermediate braces, and alsofthatall four panels of each tier are of the same character and dimensions so as to be inter changeable with each other and easily susceptible of standardization.

, At each corner oi the derrick there is pro vided. an angle corner post or leg extending throughout the height of the derrick and comprising a single string of corner leg sec tions 23 vertically aligned in abutting relationship. the respective flanges 22 and 23', ot' said corner leg sectunis being suitably punched or bored to receive-the securing 7 bolts which secure the panels to the corner legs. I V V lVhilc .lt is evident and is clearly realized that the derrick may. it desiredyloc erected piece by piece using bolts throughout-the structure, the preferred method to be followed in practicewill be to pro-assemble the several panels, leaving to the field crewionly the work of assemblingthese complete panel units and the corner legs intoa con'ipletod derrick. llherefore, I will for the purpose of this disclosure limit the description of the' erection, to the manner in which the sew cral panels and the corner legs are'secured together to term the com )leted structure, it

of course being understood that the erection of the several tiers will be progressive from the bottom .to the top of the derrick and further that the panels of eachticr will rest upon the like panels of the next lower tier with the horizontal flanges of their lower niarginal girls 1?) contacting the horizontal v flange of the upper nnirgiintlgirt Ll oi the next lower panel. 3 (See Figs. 1 and 4;.) Also at this same level the marginal. side angles 11 and 12 of the panels of each tier will abut as at Qel upon those of the panels of the next lower tier so that in so far as the panels themselves are concerned those. 01 every tier are horizontally aligned. i

It will be noted that the several angle sections 23 oi. each cornerleg are preferably of uniform length and are arranged so that they break joint with the several tiers, that is, the line 25 of abutment between vertically adjacent leg sections is opposite theintermediate girt 15 ot' the adjacent tier. This brings the corner leg sectionsin vertically staggered relationship with the marginal side angles of the pane'ls it of course beingunderstood that'the corner leg angles at the bottom and top of the derrick will necessarily be of suitable lengths to provide a level base and top to the structure.

In the processof erection the four panels of a tier will be positioned upon those of the next lower completed tier and thehorizontal flanges of their lower transverse man gii'ial girts 13 will be secured at suitable intervals to the'horizontal flanges of the upper I transverse n'iarginal girt 14, of the panels saidxnext lower tier by bolts 26. (See Figs.

'2 and 4.) Four of the angle corner leg secpanels in the relationship illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the flange 23 of each corner leg section closely contacting the flange 12 of one panel and its flange 23 closely contacting the flange 11 of the horizontally adjacent panel. Each of said leg sections are then bolted to said panels adjacent their intermediate girts 15 by bolts 27, also at the level of the tier by bolts 28 and at intermediate intervals by bolts 29.

This method of procedure will be followed throughout the erection of the derrick, the corner leg); sections being progressively applied as the tiers arecompieted as is necessary by reason of the fact that the panels of each side have no direct connection or engagement with those of the other sides.

The panels alone are not sul'licientto constitute a complete derrick since without connecting members such as the corner leg sectons 23 each side of the derrick would be separate from the others and the structure would not have suiiicient stability, but when the panels are joined by the corner leg sections 23, said sections, together with the marginal side angles of the panels, produce a corner column of great strength which will support heavy loads without subjecting the securing boltsto shearstrains, this bcing'due in part to the vertical abutting relationship of the parts and in part to the close contact of the corner leg sections with the panel side angles throughout. their lengths.

In a structure of the above described type similar parts of all'four panels of each tier are exact-duplicates of eachother and can therefore be fabricated. with the same dies and ten'iplets or other special manufacturing; equipment. This materially reduces the number of different kinds and. sizes of parts necessary to carry in stock and eliminates the possibility of error in pro-assembling, and the fact that all four panelsof each tier of the derrick are exact duplicates renders it practically impossible to assemble the panels in a wrong manner. hcse advantages are of great importance in the economical production of the structure and also in the erection thereof as contributing to the possibility of erection by unskilled labor.

The construction above described provides a heavy sturdy structure suitable forusc as a drilling derrick and which, due to the column construction of its corner legs, can'be made of lighter imiterial'than other types of drilling derricks.

A feature of major importance incident to this construction is its adaptability tor cimverz-iioninto a derrick of lighter construction suitable for use as pumping derrick. In the accomplishment of this object the corner leg: angle sections 23 are unbolted from the panels and separately removed from one tier at the time preferably commencing from the top of the derrick, and

substituting for said corner leg sections relatively short angle-iron joint. plates 30 (see Fig. 5,) each positioned to span the respective joint 2 1- between adjacent tiers, said joint plates being bolted to the adjacent panels by bolts 31 which engage in the same bolt holes in the marginal side angles of the panels as did the bolts 28 previously used to secure the corner leg sections 23 in place. It will be of importance to note that as one set of corner leg angles 23 is removed a, set of the joint plates 30 must be applied before another setof said corner leg angles :23 are removed so that at no time will the panels of anyone tier be entirely disconnected from the adjacent .corner leg sections. If thought desirable, additional 'angledron tie plates 32 may be positioned adjacent the respective intermediate girls 15 and secured to the respective panels by bolts 33 which engage in the same bolt holes in the panel.

side angles as did the bolts 27 previously used to secure the corner leg sections 23 at these points. l

The structure converted in this manner provides a derrick of suitable strength for use as a pumping derrick, and the corner leg sections 23 so removed will constitute a very appreciable amount of salvage which can be subsequently utilized in the erection of a new drilling; derrick.

it will thus be evident that l have provided a sturdy heavy duty drilling derrick which can readily be converted into a lighter pumping derrick, and in which the four sides of the derrick are constructed of preassembled panel units arranged in horizontal tiers and connected to intermediate corner legs, the construction being such that neither the panels by themselves nor the leg sections by themselves constitute a complete self-supporting structure but are dependent upon each other to form a drilling derrick, or the panels are dependent upon substituted joint plates to form a pumping derrick.

In Figs. 7 and Sthere is illustrated a modified form of construction in which the angle marginal side members of the panels have their flanges 23% extended inwardly and joined to the corner leg angles 23 or joint plates, as the-cafe maybe, by bolts This construction may in some instances be desirable'but is not believed to provide such a sturdy corner leg column as the arrangement previously described.

In Figs. 9 and 10, there is illustrated another modified type of structure in which the corner leg angles 23 are positioned inside the derrick, that is, said leg angles engage the inner surfaces of the llanges ll li of the respective panel side angles 11, 12, so that they must be applied or removed from the inside of the derrick instead 'of from the outside thereof as in the previously described constructions. I

In constructing the panels for this form of structure, the ends of the grits. and braces are not swa'ged as in the previously described structure and are not initially secured to the respective flanges 11, 12 of the panel side angles. As clearly shown in Figs. 9 and 10 the girts and braces have the end portions of their verticalctlanges cut away and the end portions 40 of their horizontal.

flanges bent back to ansubstantially vertical plane, such end portions 40 being secured by rivets 41. to the respective panel side angles. Theinner edges of the portions 40 maybe welded to the ends of the vertical flanges, as indicated at 42, thus providing a very rigid box-like end structure for each of the scve'ralgirts and braces. In assembling this particular type of construction bolts 43 which secure the cori'ier leg angles 23 and the panels together, extend through aligned bolt holes in said legangles and inthe re spective flangeslll and 12 oi thepanel side angles and also in the vertical'flanges of the respective girts or braces.

While the structure hereinillustrated and described is fully capable of fulfilling all of the objects primarily stated it is to be under stood that I do not wish to restrict the present invention to the specific embodiment herein disclosed for it is susceptibleof embodiment in various other forms, all coming within the scope of the claims, which follow.

I claim as my invention a i 1. In a derrick of the nature disclosed, the combination otli: adjacent sides each formed of a plurality of vertically aligned complete pre-assen'ibled panel sections, with the panel sections of each side laterallycspaced from thoseof the adjacent sides; intermediate c0rner legs disposed at the respective corners of the derrick and positioned between the horizontally adjacent panel sections; and means for securing said legs to said panel sections to connect the sides of the derrick together.

2. In a derrick of the nature disclosed, the combination of: adjacent sides each formed of a plurality of vertically aligned complete pre-assei'nbled panel sections, with the panel sections of each side laterally spaced front those of the adjacent sides and with the panel sections of the several sides horizontal- 1y aligned in superposed stories or tiers; intermediate corner legs disposed at the respective corners of the derrick and positioned between the horizontally adjacent panel sections; and means for securing said tionship thereto; and means for securing said elements to said panel sections to connect the sides of the derrick together.

4. In a derrick ot' the nature disclosed, the con'ibination of: adjacent sides each formed of a plurality of vertically aligned complete pre-asseniibled panel sections, with the panel sections 01' each side laterally spaced from those of. the adjacent sides, each panel section having opposed marginal side anglesand transverse girls connecting said side .angles intermediate angle corner legs disposed at the respective corners oil the derrick and positioned between the side angles of the horizontally adjacent panel sections; and means for securing said angle corner legs to the associated panel sections to connect the sides of the derrick together, the side angles ol the adjacent panel sections and the as sociated angle corner legs being arranged'in back-to-back relationship to form at each corner of the derrick, a corner column substantially cross-shape in cross section;

5. In a derrick of the nature disclosed, the combination of: adjacent sides each formed of a plurality of vertically aligned complete pre-assembledpanel sections, with the panel sections of each side laterally spaced from those of the adjacent sides and with the panel sections of the several sides horizontally aligned in superposed stories-or tiers, each panel section having opposed marginal side angles and transverse girts connecting said side angles;'.intermediate corner. legs disposed at the respective corners of the derrick and positionedbetween the side angles of the horizontally adjacent panel sections, each corner legbeing comprised of a pluv rality of vertically aligned leg angles arranged in break-joint relationship to the respective stories or tiers; and means for securing the leg angles to the associated panel sections to connect the sides of the 'derrick together, the side angles of the adjacent panel sections and the associated corner leg angles being arranged in back-to-back relationship to form at each corner of the derrick," a corner column substantially crossr' shape in cross section. a

6. In a derrick oi the nature disclosed, the combination of: adjacent sides each formed of a plurality of vertically aligned complete pre-assembled panel sections, with the panel sections of each side laterally spaced from those ofthe adj acent sides, each panel section having opposed marginal side :angles and transverse girts connecting said side angles with said girts secured atopposite ends to respective corners of the derrick and posi-' tioned between the side angles of the'horizontally ad acent panel sections; and means for securing said angle corner legs .to the.

other flanges of the associated panel sections to connect the sides of the derrick together, the side angles of the-adjacent panel sections and the associated angle corner legs being arranged in baclnto-back relationship to form at each. corner of the derrick, a corner column substantially cross-shape in cross section.

7. In a derrick of the nature disclosed, the combination oi: adjacent sides each formed of a plurality of vertically aligned complete pre-assembled panel sections, with the panel sections of each side laterally spaced from those of the adjacent sides and with the panel sections of the several sides horizontally aligned in superposedstories or tiers, each panel section having opposed marginal side angles and transverre girtsconnee ting said side angles With said girts secured at opposite ends to one flange of each of said side angles; intermediate corner legs disposed ,at the respective corners oi? the derrick and positioned betweentheside angles of the horizontally adjacent panel sections,

each corner leg being comprised oil a plurality of vertically aligned leg angles arranged in break-joint relationship to the respective SQOl'lQS or tiers; and means for curing the leg angles to the other flanges ol the associated panel sections to connect the sides of the derrick together, the side angles of the adjacent panel sections and the as sociated an le corner legs being arranged to form at each corner of the derrick, a corner column substantially cross-shape in cross section. r

8. In a derrick of the nature disclosed, the combination of: adjacent sides each formed of aplurality of vertically aligned complete pre-assembled panel sections, with the panel sections of each side laterally spaced from those of the adjacent sides and With the panel sections of the several sides horizontally aligned in superposed stories or tiers each extended to a horizontal level, each panel section having opposed marginal side angles and lower and upper transverse marginal girts connecting said side angles With said lo \vertransverse girt secured at opposite ends to the respective lower ends of said side angles and With said upper transverse grit secured at opposite ends to the respective upper ends of said side angles; intermediate angle corner legs disposed at the respective corners of the derrick and positioned between the side angles of the horizontally adjacent panel sections; means for connecting the lower transverse girt of; each panel section oteach side of the derrick to the upper transverse girt of the next lower panel section; and independent means for securing the angle corner legs to the associated panel sections to connect the sides of the derrick together, the side angles oi? the adjacent panel sections and the associated angle corner legs being arranged in back-to-- back relationship to form at each corner of the derrick, a corner column substantially cross-shape in cross section.

9. In a derrick of the nature disclosed, the combination o'l: four independent sides each formed of a plurality of superposed panel sections ith each panel section secured to the vertically adjacent panel sections; and a separate corner leg at each respective corner of the derrick, disposed between the adjacent sides thereof and secured to the several panel sections comprising said adjacent sides to join said sides to each other.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto .set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 8th day of July, 1926.

CLARENCE B. FOSTER. 

